Police checkpoints set for holiday weekend

Lebanon police will conduct impaired-driver countermeasures this weekend to include a DUI checkpoint on the Fourth of July.

The checkpoint will be on Highway 109, and police said they would monitor for DUIs while enforcing traffic violations and other offenses.

According to police, the deterrent effect of DUI checkpoints is a proven resource in reducing the number of persons killed or injured in alcohol- or drug-related crashes.

Officers will observe drivers who pass through the checkpoint looking for signs of impairment and asked those citizens that may be briefly held up by the checkpoint to be patient and understanding.

Police said those who may consider drinking or using drugs that impair their ability to drive should think about the potential consequences before they get behind the wheel. A DUI conviction carries jail time, heavy fines, loss of driving privileges, a criminal record, and most importantly, driving under the influence can and often does result in the loss of lives.

Funding for these countermeasures was made possible through a grant from the Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office.